VIGNETTE Visvakarma Textiles: Art and Artistry
The textiles presented in this exhibition were commissioned for Visvakarma, a series of exhibitions on Indian handmade textiles, between the early 1980s and ‘90s.
Pethapur Directory -InstallationNational Institute of Fashion Technology
The Visvakarma textiles were borne out of the dialogue among weavers, craftspeople, curators, master artisans, designers and artists across the country’s prominent textile producing centres.
Ramp Literature at National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru Ramp Literature at National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru (2022-08-06/2022-09-25) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
‘Vignette’ celebrates the work of chosen artists employed by the Weavers' Service Center and their artistry. Equally, it highlights the role of public patronage in the support of handmade traditions.
Vignette was conceived of as a part of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations in Bengaluru to amplify the voice of handcraft in the digital world and to proclaim the relevance of skill traditions of India through textiles, that are a fitting medium of art and design.
National Institute of Fashion Technology
At the heart of NIFT's curriculum lies the art and craft of India. Visvakarma textiles, that were developed by the Weaver's Service Centres under the Ministry of Textiles, was an avant garde exploration of the traditional artistry of the country in the textiles section.
Festivals of India were conceived as showcases of India's culture and heritage in art, music, dance and textiles across the world. The mandate was to showcase modern and contemporary India along with the traditional legacies.
Shri. Kailasam M
Haling from a family of weavers and artists, Kailasam was trained at the Kalamkari training centre which was opened at the behest of Pupul Jayakar. He won the national award for his Ramayana based Kalamkari in the 70s.
The Visvakarma Citation Presented to Shri M Kailasam from Development Commissioner Handloom, Government of India.
Weavers’ Service Centre is a unique organisation within the office of the Development Commissioner of Handloom under Ministry of Textiles. Started in traditional weaving hubs of the country like Mumbai and Varanasi in the 1950s, they were initially called Handloom Design Centres
Past and Present
The WSCs recognized the role of colour, texture and design in a fabric and sought to employ trained artists who could help with the production of handmade textiles.
NIFT Bengaluru acknowledges the role of the government in preserving such skill set in the country, talks about public funding of textile art, and pays homage to the artists themselves- the weavers, the dyers, the painters et al.
Cloth of Gold (2022) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
Guided walkthruogh of VIGNETTE
Cloth of Gold (2022) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
Cloths of Gold
Among the earliest references to textiles in the subcontinent are in hymns of the Rig Veda, as Cloths of Gold. They continue to inspire the country’s contemporary fabrics well into the 21st century.
The Art of the Story (2022) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
The Art of the Story
The Art of the Story showcases three panels done in Kalamkari technique, which, thanks to Visvakarma commissions, took up themes beyond the usual temple screen cloths, that eventually helped the cluster to pick private commissions.
Flora and Fauna (2022) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
Flora and Fauna
The commissions which appear here represent various techniques through which the natural world is captured in Indian textiles, and show how elements from here became a constant source of inspiration and exploration for Visvakarma through its various phases and iterations.
Flora and Fauna (2022) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
Motifs of Flora and Fauna have adorned Indian cloth throughout history.
Flora and Fauna (2022) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
Borrowing from fields, gardens and forests, they appear variously as a small, repeating buta or the singular plant and shrub; bel or creepers and meanders.
Geometry/Abstraction (2022) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
Geometry / Abstraction
The paring down of complex patterns — often described as decorative and ornamental in historical Indian textiles — to their essential geometrical features was a prominent feature of the Visvakarma commissions.
Birds and Animals (2022) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
Birds and Animals
Birds and Animals in Indian Textiles was the title and theme of the last of the Visvakarma exhibitions, a tribute to the late ornithologist and naturalist Dr Salim Ali.
Geometry/Abstraction (2022) by Curated by NIFT BengaluruNational Institute of Fashion Technology
Vignette sparks interest in the age-old textile art of India through the Visvakarma panels. It keeps alive the material history of the country and its ambition of developing textiles beyond garments. It rightly points the way forward in the context of sustainable, slow craft.
This Visvakarma series was conceived under the aegis of the Festivals of India, cultural diplomacy initiatives between India and the world.
Text: Susan Thomas, Mayank Kaul
Photographs: Sanjeev C M, Chirodeep Chaudhuri
